Well tool retriever



Oct. 19, 1954 E. B. MILLER ET AL 2,692,160

WELL TOOL RETRIEVER Filed April 50, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS fidwaraflflfz'lier Grover agzewarz'. 7.7291

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INVENTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. B. MILLER ETAL WELL TOOL RETRIEVER Grover we 7"! M ATTORNEYS Eda n rQZBMZZe r Oct. 19, 1954 F11 ed April 30, 1951 Patented Oct. 19, 1954 sures PATENT OFFICE Edward Benefit Miller and Gro'ver Cleveland stwitft, HO'libS, N. Mei.

Applieation April 30, 1951, serial no. rte-71 2 2 Claims. (01. 2554- 86) This invention relates to a well to'ol retriever.

In well-drilling operations it frequently happens during the drilling operation that the drill bit or other tool either breaks or becomes sepa-" rated froni the drill stern; Further drilling must necessarily be suspended until the broken or disconnected tool can be removed as otherwise the broken or disconnected tool being highly tempered and formed of tool steel will damage any new tool.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a retrieving means for attachment to a drill stem or valve tool, which is designed for use under hydrostatic pressure for gripping the broken tool so as to permit removal of the tool with the drill rod.

Another object of this invention is' to provide a tool retrieving device wherein the article to be retrieved is forced into the tool under fluid pressure, and the article gripped by means of radially disposed spring-pressed gripping fingers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tool retrievin device which is relatively positive in action and will usually retrieve the tool in one operation.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement; combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims;

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation of well to'ol retriever constructed to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2'-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-''3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 -4 of Figure 3; s v, e v Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3;,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line B'6 of Figure 4. 7

, Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the locking connection between the outer casing and the inner valve operator. p I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings; the numeral It designates generally an outer casing formed of tubular iipper and lower sections H and I2. The casing H3 is edapted to be lowered into a well opening or Well casing and may be formed at the lower end thereof in the shape of a well tool or bit. The lower casing member l2 has disposed therein a lower cylindrical collar [4 which is seated on an annular shoulder I3 formed on the interior of the casing section l2. The collar I4 as shown in Figure 5 has pivotally mounted on inner side thereof a plurality of radially disposed 2 article gripping fingers I6 which are provided on theirouter ends with a pair of ears I! extending into vertical slits or recesses l8 formed in the inner side of collar Id.

The fingers 16 are adapted to be normally ina horizontal position and are constantly urged to a normal operative position by means of springs l9. As shown in Figure 5 there are two series of article gripping fingers; the second series of gripping fingers designated as 28 are substantial= 1y shorter in length than the first series (if gripping fingers 16.

A second cylindrical collar 2! is disposed in the lower casin member l2 above the lower collar i l and has pivotally mounted on the inner side thereof, as shown in Figure 4, a plurality of radially disposed article gripping fingers 22. The article gripping fingers 22 are constantly urgeddo'wnward to a horizontally operative position by means of springs 23'. The fingers 22 when diS-'-' posed in a horizontal position are adapted to en'-' gage on a shoulder 24 formed on the inner side ofcasing member 12. The gripping fingers l6 and 2!! as shown in Figure 5 are formed with bluntiniier ends 25 and 26 respectively, whereas the gripping fingers 22 are formed with pointed inner ends 21:

A second series of upper gripping fingers 28 are pivotally carried by the upper cylinder 2| being positioned between the outer portions of fingers 22. The gripping fingers 28 are of triangular configuration b'eing pointed at their inner ends, and are adapted to cooperate with fingers 22 in gripping an article particularly where the article" may be formed of offset elements which may not readily be gripped by the longer gripping finger 22;

The casing H has slidably disposed thereinabove the upper collar 2| a spring-"pressed valve 29 normally urged to a closing position against a valveseat 30 formed on the lower end of a collar 3!. The valve member 29 is constantly urged upwardly to closed position by means of spring 32 The valve member 29 is formed with a series of ports}; which are normally disposed out of registry with aseries ofports 34 which are formed in the collar 3!. A secondvalve member 35 is' slidably disposed in a valve guide or collar 36 earrie'd by the cajsi'ng member I I and is constantly urg d upwa its aclos'ed position against a seat at i y iteaiisora pnn A spring 39 is disposed in a bore is refined in the id'v'vsr valve ifi'ezne bei- 29 and bears against a t rojecting stein ll carried by the valve plug or head 42.

The lower stein 4| is formed with one or more ports 43 which are normally disposed in com- Inunicatlon with a chamber 44 which is formed below the guide or collar 36. The bore 40 in valve member 29 communicates with a smaller bore 35 which extends through the lower end of valve member 29;. When th e valve head 44 is moved downwardly as will be hereinafter degaged by the grippin fingers I6 and 22.

of which communicates with an annular chamber 41 formed in collar 36 above valve seat 31. C01- lar 36 is also formed with a plurality of upwardly extended ports 48 which communicate chamber 41 with an upper chamber 49.

A tubular valve operator 50 is slidably and rotatably carried by upper casing member II and, upon downward movement of operator 50, the lower end of this member is adapted to bear against a cap or head 5| which is carried by valve member 35 so that the latter member will be moved downwardly to an open position. The operator 50 is releasably locked against rotation and endwise movement relative to casing member I I by means of a locking lu 52 which is secured to the operator 50 and projects through a keeper opening 53 which is formed in the casin member I l. The keeper opening 53 includes a horizontally extending locking portion 54 extending laterally to the left of opening 53 and also including a lower locking portion 55 which extends in the opposite direction from looking portion 54. The opening 53 includes a cam shaped edge 56 which merges with the upper edges of portions 54 and 55 and provides a means whereby the cam shaped end 51 of locking member 52 may move the operator 50 endwise to a valve opening position.

In the use and operation of this device, the

operator 50 is connected to a pipe of suitable length so that the casing l may be extended to the bottom of the well. The casing is then subjected to a weight of from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds to assure the bottom of the casing or drill stem beingpositioned on the bottom of the well. The casing I 0 is then lifted upwardly a short distance and rotated very slowly in a clockwise direction while simultaneously moving the casing down to the well bottom. The rotation of the casing I0 is then reversed while at the same time applying a Weight of substantially 5,000 pounds or more to the drill stem so that the locking 111g 52 will partially rotate with operator 50 so as to move lug 52 from upper locking keeper 54. When lug 52 engages cam surface 56, operator 50 will move endwise and downwardly so that the lower end of operator 50 will move valve members and 29 downwardly to an open position. At this time mud or other liquid is inserted in the well casing about casing member I0 under pressure so that the disconnected tool which is now positioned in the lower end of casing member l2 will be forced upwardly either past the gripping fingers IE or 22 or to a position whereby the tool will be en- Preferably the operation of rotation of easing I0 is performed at least twice in order to assure that the disconnected tool will be extended into the lower end of lower casing member I2 and will subsequently be forced upwardly by the mud or other fluid which is forced upwardly through the casing member ID.

- A well tool retriever constructed according to the device hereinbefore described will provide a means whereby the disconnected or broken tool or bit may be pulled from the well casing in a single pulling operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A well tool retriever comprising a tubular casing, a cylindrical collar disposed in the lower portion of said casing, radially disposed article grippin fingers carried by said collar and normally disposed in a horizontal position, a second collar above said first collar, radially disposed article gripping fingers carried by said second collar and normally disposed in a horizontal position, upwardly closing spring-pressed valve means in said casing above said second collar opening of said valves permitting fluid under pressure from the exterior of said casing to flow inwardly to force a tool to be retrieved upwardly into the interior of the casing to cause said tool to be moved into position to be engaged by said finger, a tubular valve operator slidably and rotatably disposed in said casing, said casing having a horizontally elongated opening therein formed with an upper locking portion and a lower locking portion extending oppositely from said upper locking position, said opening being formed with an inclined cam surface extending between said locking portions, and a combined locking lug and cam member fixed to said operator and projecting into said opening, rotation of said operator in a counterclockwise direction relative to said casing eifecting simultaneous endwise downward movement of said operator to dispose said lug in said lower locking portion with said operator in a valve opening position said lug locking said valve operator and easing against endwise movement relative to each other in either valve opening or valve closing position.

2. A well tool retriever comprising a tubular casing, lower radially disposed spring-pressed article gripping fingers carried by said casing adjacent the lower end thereof, and normally disposed in a horizontal operative position, upper radially disposed springpressed article gripping fingers carried by said casing spaced above said lower fingers and normall disposed in a horizontal operative position, spring-pressed valve means above said upper fingers opening of said valves permitting fiuid under pressure from the exterior of said casing to flow inwardly to force a tool to be retrieved upwardly into the interior of the casing to cause said tool to be moved into position to be engaged by said finger, a tubular valv operator slidably and rotatably disposed in said casing, said casing having a horizontally elongated opening therein formed with an upper locking portion and a lower locking portion extending oppositely from said upper locking portion, said opening being formed with an inclined cam surface extending between said locking portions, and a combined locking lu and cam member fixed to said operator and projecting into said opening, rotation of said operator in a counterclockwise direction relative to said casing, effecting simultaneous endwise downward movement of said operator to dispose said lug in said lower locking portion with said operator in a valve opening position said lug locking said valve operator and casing against endwise movement relative to each other in either valve opening or valve closing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,509,001 Smith Sept. 16, 19 4 1,558,902 Ligon Oct. 2'7, 1925 1,968,282 Cavins July 31, 1934 2,054,278 Wright et al Sept. 15,19 6 2,090,616 Erwin Aug. 24, 1937 2,092,062 Halliburton Sept. '7, 1937 2,227,192 Losey, Jr., Dec. 31, 1940 2,416,613 Castin Feb. 25, 1947 2,525,954 Schabarum Oct. 1'7, 1950 

